Merry Christmas, Lucius
by draco-severus-mmm
Summary: Hermione takes a trip to Marks and Spencer with a 2-year-old Rose for her annual Christmas photo with Santa Claus.  Little did she realise that she would recognise the man behind the beard.


Hi all! This is the start of what I hope is a lot of Lucius fics because I've decided that he is such a beautiful character that I just had to write more about him! I've started a long fic but won't be uploading that until I've finished it. This is just because I was inspired yesterday (Christmas Day) by this situation and hopefully people will appreciate it and believe it. It didn't get written yesterday because I had a shocking migraine. But hopefully it sounds alright now.

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**Merry Christmas, Lucius**

Hermione struggled with the pusher that held her 2-year-old child Rose along the snow-covered street towards Marks and Spencer. She had tried for days to be able to coerce Rose into making a trip to the department store in order to get her annual photo with Santa Claus but Rose had not wanted to oblige. She finally did today.

As they made their way towards the store, Rose would not stop shouting and laughing at all the stands and childrens' toys on display in the windows at the front of the store, something Hermione was in no mood to address. Rose was known for her fits of child's anger at not getting what she wanted. Hermione always cursed Ron for this since it was he who spoiled Rose and gave her anything the child wanted.

They eventually made their way into the department store and found Santa's workshop. The lineup for photos was huge; a common sight but no better to deal with.

Still, she loved the annual photo that Rose would have with Santa Claus; it provided Hermione with living proof at how her little girl had grown up and she hoped that one day the child would appreciate the effort her mother went in documenting her childhood.

They had about 10 people in front of them waiting for a photo with Santa. Hermione watched the women and some men struggle to keep their children quiet as they anticipated the chance to tell Santa everything that they wanted for Christmas. She then turned to the man in question; he did not seem put off by the numerous children who would be placed on his knee with dirty fingers and hands and would tell him everything, quite vocally at times, what they wanted for Christmas.

From the distance that Hermione was standing, she could see that there was not that much that the man playing Santa worried about. She was touched by the gentle nature in which he handled even the most fragile baby, and she had heard one mother mention that her son was a 'cotton-wool baby', meaning that the smallest knock would break his bones. Yet Santa seemed to be able to hold this child as easy as any other.

Finally, it was Hermione's turn to take her child to see Santa. The female portraying his helper elf smiled warmly at Hermione and took Rose's hand to lead her to Santa's lap.

"She seems like she's been doing his all her life," the woman noted to Hermione. "Most children scream their head off when they do this."

Hermione laughed. "That's why we didn't come here the last few days. She's a lot more settled today."

"Nevertheless, she seems very friendly towards Santa."

Hermione noted the warmth and affinity between her little girl and the man who was Santa. She had not seen her so content talking to any of the Santas in the past as this one. Hermione took a bit more notice of the man.

He appeared much younger than the typical portrayals of Santa. He could not have looked any more than mid-40's or so. His hair and beard were long and straight as opposed to the bushy beards of typical Santas. In fact, if Hermione was not mistaken, it appeared to be the man's real hair and beard. She was somewhat reminded of Christopher Lee from The Lord of The Rings movie in his portrayal of Saruman.

It was then that Santa looked up at her. Steel-grey eyes locked onto her dark brown ones.

Hermione recoiled. She knew who those eyes belonged to. However, she was very much aware that he was the one Santa that Hermione could recall who drew such a response from her child.

Lucius Malfoy muttered something into her daughter's ear and the child smiled and nodded. Next thing, her daughter was calling her over.

"Mummy! Santa wants to ask you what you want for Christmas!" her daughter exclaimed, clearly unable to believe that he would ask something like this.

To save face, Hermione slowly walked across to him. She stood a foot in front of him and her daughter and looked down at him.

"Kim," Lucius called to the woman playing his elf-assistant. "Why don't you take little Rose here across to look at her photo? I wish to speak with her mother for a moment."

His assistant smiled to him and nodded before picking up little Rose off his knee and taking her over to where the photo was being printed out.

"Mrs Weasley," he drawled.

"Mr Malfoy," Hermione responded.

They were both silent. Lucius continued to stare at her intently. Hermione was overwhelmed with the intensity of his gaze and looked away.

His muttered voice could just be heard over the waiting parents and childrens' chatter. "Merry Christmas."

Hermione was surprised by his words.

"Why?" There was no need to elaborate.

"Why not?" he countered.

She wanted to tell him that he shouldn't be allowed within 50 feet of this store, that the Muggle world had no place for bigoted people like Lucius Malfoy. Children should be running away from his mere presence, yet, as she noted before, his was the only Santa that Rose had been completely comfortable with.

She looked back into his eyes. It would not do to be rude. "Merry Christmas to you too, Mr Malfoy."

Lucius nodded almost imperceptibly before responding, "Your daughter is beautiful."

Hermione was touched by his words, hardly daring to believe who was speaking them. "Thank you."

"She has a bright future ahead of her."

Hermione made to retort but found no words came to her. Lucius only looked at her in mild curiosity.

"Mummy!" Rose's voice cut through her thoughts. "Look what I have!"

They both turned to see the little girl come running towards her mother. Rose held up a picture of she and Lucius for Hermione to see. Hermione could not think of a better photo that Rose had had with a Santa. She hoped that Ron would not be able to recognise Lucius in the photo.

"May I?" Lucius' voice came from behind Hermione's back.

Hermione turned back around to see Lucius holding out a hand to Rose.

"Of course, Santa, look!" Rose pushed the photo into Lucius' hands.

Hermione watched Lucius as he looked at the photo. She saw something sparkle in his steel-grey eyes for a brief moment before it disappeared. Instead, he put on a show of nodding wisely.

"Hmm, what this photo needs is this." He pointed at the picture with his index finger and the figures started to move. Hermione saw him quickly tuck the wand that he had had concealed under his finger back up his sleeve. The picture now moved so that it appeared that Rose was laughing about something that Lucius had said. Rose squealed in delight at the effect that Lucius' magic had created but before she could say anything, Lucius put his fingers to his lips to stop her from talking.

"Our little secret," he muttered to her.

"Sure, Santa!" Rose said excitedly.

Lucius looked up at Hermione. "Merry Christmas again, Mrs Weasley."

"Merry Christmas to you too, Mr Malfoy."

Something passed between the two as they stared at one another, a truce of sorts. Words did not have to explain to Hermione why Lucius was working as a Santa Claus in a Muggle department store. He certainly did not need the money. She saw the ease in which he was able to speak to the children.

She smiled at him warmly before making to leave.

"Mrs Weasley," Lucius' voice halted her.

She looked back at him to see a small smile on his face.

"Take care, Hermione."

She smiled back. "And you, Lucius."

Hermione turned around with Rose safely strapped back into the pusher and left the store.

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Who doesn't want to sit on Santa's lap now? ;-)


End file.
